Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

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New Hampshire program

Government health insurance for your child (NH Medicaid)

New Hampshire’s health insurance for eligible children under 19. Medicaid can sit behind work insurance.

What it is

New Hampshire’s health insurance for eligible children under 19. Medicaid can sit behind work insurance.

NH Medicaid can cover cancer treatment and help with costs left by another insurer. A drop in pay can change whether your child qualifies. The district office decides which people and income belong in the household.

Eligibility rules
  • Your child must be under 19 and live in New Hampshire.
  • Current monthly income is the test. A yearly amount divided by 12 is only an estimate.
  • The state decides who belongs in your child’s household and which income counts.
  • Children's Medicaid and CHIP are one application here. The line for a child is about 318% of the poverty level for the child's household, judged on this month's income; the district office has the current dollar table for your family size.
  • A decision usually comes within 45 days, or 90 days when it depends on a disability finding. If it is taking longer, ask the office what is still missing.
What you get
  • Hospital care, cancer treatment, medicines, nursing and rides to covered appointments.
  • Children generally keep approved coverage for 12 months, with exceptions.
  • Eligible earlier bills can be covered.
What the help covers
  • Nursing hours at home need a separate review of your child’s daily care. Rides run through the Medicaid health plan.
  • Care Medicaid does not cover, or a clinic that is not enrolled with your child's plan, can still bill you. Ask billing to check any unexpected charge before you pay it.
  • A 2025 state law allows a monthly premium for children's coverage when family income is 255% of poverty or more: $190 a month for a family of two, $230 for three, $270 for four or more. Ask DHHS whether it has started charging and whether a hardship exemption applies to you.
  • Illustration only: a covered claim allows $10,000, work insurance pays $7,000 and assigns $3,000 to the deductible, and Medicaid pays $0 more. When the enrolled clinic must accept the combined payments in full, it generally cannot collect that $3,000 from you. This does not erase the work-plan deductible for every later claim.
If you decide to apply
  1. Ask the hospital financial counselor to help you complete NH EASY for your child.
  2. Have ready: current income, household details, insurance cards and bills from earlier months.

NH DHHS Bureau of Family Assistance · 1-844-275-3447 · Official page ↗

After you apply
  • For an application made before January 1, 2027, a child’s Medicaid can cover eligible services in up to the three calendar months before the application month. For applications made on or after January 1, 2027, federal law reduces that look-back to two months for children. The child must have met the applicable eligibility requirements when each service was received; an earlier hospital bill is not automatically covered.
  • Once approved, your child keeps Medicaid for 12 months even if your income goes up. It ends sooner only if your child turns 19 or you move out of New Hampshire.
  • A qualified participating hospital can assess temporary presumptive coverage while a full application is completed. Ask the financial counselor whether the hospital participates. Without a timely full application, temporary coverage generally ends at the end of the following month; with one, it lasts until the application decision.
Good to know

Having work insurance does not prevent an application. The exact Medicaid plan must cover your child’s treatment team.

Other details
  • Keeping both plans can preserve access to your current doctors, but means managing two insurers and the work premium.
  • Medicaid alone can work if the exact plan covers your hospital, cancer team, pharmacy and planned treatment. Payroll can explain any premium savings and when your child could rejoin the work plan.
  • The 2025 premium law and an actual premium bill are separate matters. DHHS confirms the approved policy, any hardship protection and when a charge starts for your child.

Federal background: Medicaid, CHIP and Medicaid as second insurance.

Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Could NH Medicaid help with treatment bills alongside our insurance? What would we gain or have to manage, and could you help us apply if it fits?”

Why I’m asking: I want to understand what a second insurer could cover and whether our treatment team would stay the same.

More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.

You

File on NH EASY, report this month's income and any insurance, and name the months with old bills.

Your social worker

The oncology social worker or hospital financial counsellor helps you file and chases the decision.

The care team

Nothing for ordinary child Medicaid. Records are needed only for the severe-disability category.

Who decides
The Bureau of Family Assistance decides the application. The health plan you then choose runs the coverage.
Ask your social worker
“Could we discuss the benefits and drawbacks of Medicaid, and whether eligible earlier bills could be covered? If applying makes sense, could you help with NH EASY?”

How to apply

First step: The social worker can help compare Medicaid with your current coverage. If you decide to apply, NH EASY and DHHS at 1-844-275-3447 are the application routes; the request date can affect when help starts.

  1. The social worker can help compare Medicaid with your current coverage. If you decide to apply, NH EASY and DHHS at 1-844-275-3447 are the application routes; the request date can affect when help starts.
  2. If you decide to apply, list earlier bills and their service dates so DHHS can check eligibility for each month.
  3. Once approved, pick the health plan the oncology team takes, then ask that plan for rides and nursing.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: If you decide to apply, NH EASY or DHHS accepts the request. The hospital financial counselor can help prepare it.

What to gather

  • Child's birth certificate or identity papers and Social Security number
  • New Hampshire address
  • This month's income for each parent at home
  • Insurance cards, if any
  • Hospital bills from the three months before you apply

How long: The ordinary Medicaid decision standard is 45 days, or 90 days when eligibility depends on a disability determination, subject to defined unusual circumstances. These are processing standards, not required waiting periods. The office can explain what is still needed if a decision is delayed.

What a yes looks like

A notice with coverage dates and a choice of health plan. Check the hospital and the oncology group are in that plan before choosing. Twelve months of coverage follows.

What a no looks like, and the next move

Read whether the office said no on income, on a document or on a category. If income is the reason, ask about Home Care for Children With Severe Disabilities by name and appeal by the date on the notice.

Watch out

  • DHHS confirms the current income rules and household calculation. The social worker can help compare coverage options before you decide whether to apply.
  • Your child can keep private insurance and have NH Medicaid too. Do not cancel the work plan to apply.
  • A 2025 law directs monthly premiums for some children’s coverage at family income of at least 255% of poverty: $190 for two people, $230 for three, and $270 for four or more, for the biennium ending June 30, 2027. Federal approval and implementation still matter; these enacted amounts do not establish that your family owes a premium or that billing has started. DHHS can confirm the approved policy, any hardship protection and the first month a charge applies.

Dates that change this

2025-07-01: A 2025 law directs monthly premiums for some children’s coverage at family income of at least 255% of poverty: $190 for two people, $230 for three, and $270 for four or more, for the biennium ending June 30, 2027. Federal approval and implementation still matter; these enacted amounts do not establish that your family owes a premium or that billing has started. DHHS can confirm the approved policy, any hardship protection and the first month a charge applies. (not yet confirmed against the final rule)

2026-01-01: NH Medicaid includes children’s Medicaid and CHIP-funded coverage through one state application. The federal table dated December 1, 2023 lists a 318% poverty standard; it also describes a five-percentage-point income disregard. Those historical figures do not establish today’s monthly limit. DHHS must confirm the current limit, your child’s household and the income it counts. (not yet confirmed against the final rule)

2027-01-01: For applications before January 1, 2027, coverage may reach the three preceding calendar months if eligible when care was received. For child applications from January 1, 2027, the look-back is two months. (not yet confirmed against the final rule)

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 11, 2026.

What it is worth

NH Medicaid includes children’s Medicaid and CHIP-funded coverage through one state application. The federal table dated December 1, 2023 lists a 318% poverty standard; it also describes a five-percentage-point income disregard. Those historical figures do not establish today’s monthly limit. DHHS must confirm the current limit, your child’s household and the income it counts.

  • $318/year — Historical December 1, 2023 child base standard; not a verified current effective ceiling
  • $12 — Months of continuous coverage once approved
  • $3 — Months of earlier bills coverage can reach back to
  • $255/year — Income line in the enacted premium law, as a share of the poverty guideline
  • $190/month — Enacted monthly premium, household of 2 (biennium ending June 30, 2027; billing status requires DHHS confirmation)
  • $230/month — Enacted monthly premium, household of 3 (biennium ending June 30, 2027; billing status requires DHHS confirmation)
  • $270/month — Enacted monthly premium, household of 4 or more (biennium ending June 30, 2027; billing status requires DHHS confirmation)

Covers: Hospital and clinic care · Chemotherapy and prescriptions · Medically necessary services for eligible children within Medicaid benefit categories, subject to the applicable coverage process. · Private duty nursing and home health when the plan approves it · Rides to appointments · Dental and vision

Legal protection: Twelve months of continuous coverage for a child under 19 once approved, with listed exceptions · For applications before January 1, 2027, coverage may reach the three preceding calendar months if eligible when care was received. For child applications from January 1, 2027, the look-back is two months.

What it costs the family: A 2025 law directs monthly premiums for some children’s coverage at family income of at least 255% of poverty: $190 for two people, $230 for three, and $270 for four or more, for the biennium ending June 30, 2027. Federal approval and implementation still matter; these enacted amounts do not establish that your family owes a premium or that billing has started. DHHS can confirm the approved policy, any hardship protection and the first month a charge applies.

The eligibility facts, as published

Age
under 19
Age max exclusive
19
Income
NH Medicaid includes children’s Medicaid and CHIP-funded coverage through one state application. The federal table dated December 1, 2023 lists a 318% poverty standard; it also describes a five-percentage-point income disregard. Those historical figures do not establish today’s monthly limit. DHHS must confirm the current limit, your child’s household and the income it counts.
Insurance status condition
Medicaid can coexist with employer insurance. DHHS must confirm any current CHIP-funded or premium-category insurance conditions.
Residency
New Hampshire
Continuous eligibility
12 months for a child under 19, subject to listed exceptions
Retroactive months
For applications before January 1, 2027, coverage may reach the three preceding calendar months if eligible when care was received. For child applications from January 1, 2027, the look-back is two months.
Processing standard
The ordinary Medicaid decision standard is 45 days, or 90 days when eligibility depends on a disability determination, subject to defined unusual circumstances. These are processing standards, not required waiting periods. The office can explain what is still needed if a decision is delayed.

The trap: DHHS confirms the current income rules and household calculation. The social worker can help compare coverage options before you decide whether to apply.

Where I read this

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